10 Biggest Bowl Snubs

Using the payout values as a proxy for prestige, we compared the payout for a team’s actual bowl versus the one they would have played in, if invitations were handed out in strict BCS rank order*

*We used our Overall Power Ratings to fill in ranks 26 through 70, since it had the highest correlation to the BCS Top 25 out of any of our rankings.

Using that method, it looks to us like Boise State was served $17 million worth of snub. South Carolina was insulted to the tune of $13.8 million, and Cotton Bowl participants Arkansas and Kansas State swallowed $11.3 million worth of pride.

Here’s the full top 10:

Team

Rank*

Bowl

Bowl Payout

Rank-Based Payout

$ Difference

Boise St

7

Maaco Las Vegas

$1,000,000

$18,000,000

-$17,000,000

S Carolina

9

Capital One

$4,250,000

$18,000,000

-$13,750,000

Arkansas

6

Cotton Classic

$6,750,000

$18,000,000

-$11,250,000

Kansas St

8

Cotton Classic

$6,750,000

$18,000,000

-$11,250,000

Baylor

12

Alamo

$2,250,000

$6,750,000

-$4,500,000

Oklahoma

14

Insight

$1,200,000

$4,250,000

-$3,050,000

TCU

18

Poinsettia

$750,000

$3,350,000

-$2,600,000

S Mississippi

21

Hawaiʻi

$750,000

$2,250,000

-$1,500,000

Houston

19

TicketCity

$1,200,000

$2,500,000

-$1,300,000

Texas

24

Holiday

$1,000,000

$2,125,000

-$1,125,000

There are logic reasons a lot of these teams are on the list.

The SEC squads show up partly because only two teams from each conference can participate in the BCS, meaning Arkansas and USC get relegated to less prestigious spots.

Boise State, TCU, and the other little guys are listed because, well, they’re the little guys. The bowls prefer to invite the blue bloods.

10 Teams Who Should Be Happiest With Their Bowls

On the other end of the spectrum from the Cotton Bowl’s slighted programs, the Orange Bowl gave out the most undeserved invitations, with West Virginia and Clemson stealing $15.9 and $14.6 million worth of spotlight.

Here are ten teams whose cushy bowl designations were more a result of program pedigree and conference affiliation, rather than performance on the field:

Team

Rank*

Bowl

Bowl Payout

Rank-Based Payout

$ Difference

W Virginia

23

Orange

$18,000,000

$2,125,000

$15,875,000

Clemson

15

Orange

$18,000,000

$3,400,000

$14,600,000

Michigan

13

Sugar

$18,000,000

$4,250,000

$13,750,000

VA Tech

11

Sugar

$18,000,000

$6,750,000

$11,250,000

Virginia

45

Chick-fil-A

$3,350,000

$1,000,000

$2,350,000

Nebraska

20

Capital One

$4,250,000

$2,500,000

$1,750,000

Florida

42

Gator

$2,500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

Ohio St

47

Gator

$2,500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

Auburn

25

Chick-fil-A

$3,350,000

$2,000,000

$1,350,000

Rutgers

57

Pinstripe

$2,000,000

$750,000

$1,250,000

Clemson and West Virginia are here because they won their conferences. More power to them.

“5. After completion of the selection process … the conferences and Notre Dame may, but are not required to, adjust the pairings taking into consideration the following: [A/B/C] … D. whether alternative pairings may have greater or lesser appeal to college football fans as measured by expected ticket sales for the bowls and by expected television interest, and the consequent financial impact on ESPN and the bowls.”

The Full List Of Winners & Losers

Finally, fans of schools not in the above top (or bottom) 10’s may wonder how well-deserved their bowl bid was. For that, we’ll refer you the full list of all 70 bowl participants.

A few were spot on, like the obvious LSU and Alabama. But some of the smaller bowls invited exactly who you’d expect based on quality of play, as well. The Belk Bowl, for example, ended up with #41 NC State and #50 Louisville, which is pretty close to spot on.

So, find your team, check out whether you got a fair deal, and then ratchet up the indignation or relief, whatever seems appropriate:

Team

Rank*

Bowl

Bowl Payout

Rank-Based Payout

$ Difference

Boise St

7

Maaco Las Vegas

$1,000,000

$18,000,000

-$17,000,000

S Carolina

9

Capital One

$4,250,000

$18,000,000

-$13,750,000

Arkansas

6

Cotton Classic

$6,750,000

$18,000,000

-$11,250,000

Kansas St

8

Cotton Classic

$6,750,000

$18,000,000

-$11,250,000

Baylor

12

Alamo

$2,250,000

$6,750,000

-$4,500,000

Oklahoma

14

Insight

$1,200,000

$4,250,000

-$3,050,000

TCU

18

Poinsettia

$750,000

$3,350,000

-$2,600,000

S Mississippi

21

Hawaiʻi

$750,000

$2,250,000

-$1,500,000

Houston

19

TicketCity

$1,200,000

$2,500,000

-$1,300,000

Texas

24

Holiday

$1,000,000

$2,125,000

-$1,125,000

Penn St

22

TicketCity

$1,200,000

$2,250,000

-$1,050,000

Missouri

26

Independence

$1,100,000

$2,000,000

-$900,000

California

30

Holiday

$1,000,000

$1,700,000

-$700,000

BYU

33

Armed Forces

$750,000

$1,350,000

-$600,000

Arkansas St

34

GoDaddy.com

$750,000

$1,350,000

-$600,000

LA Tech

36

Poinsettia

$750,000

$1,200,000

-$450,000

San Diego St

58

New Orleans

$325,000

$750,000

-$425,000

LA Lafayette

62

New Orleans

$325,000

$750,000

-$425,000

UCLA

40

Kraft Fight Hunger

$800,000

$1,100,000

-$300,000

Tulsa

43

Armed Forces

$750,000

$1,000,000

-$250,000

N Illinois

46

GoDaddy.com

$750,000

$1,000,000

-$250,000

Texas A&M

27

Meineke Car Care

$1,700,000

$1,900,000

-$200,000

Wyoming

53

New Mexico

$750,000

$800,000

-$50,000

LSU

1

BCS Title Game

$18,000,000

$18,000,000

$0

Alabama

2

BCS Title Game

$18,000,000

$18,000,000

$0

Oklahoma St

3

Fiesta

$18,000,000

$18,000,000

$0

Stanford

4

Fiesta

$18,000,000

$18,000,000

$0

Oregon

5

Rose

$18,000,000

$18,000,000

$0

Wisconsin

10

Rose

$18,000,000

$18,000,000

$0

Georgia

16

Outback

$3,400,000

$3,400,000

$0

Mississippi St

31

Music City

$1,700,000

$1,700,000

$0

Iowa

37

Insight

$1,200,000

$1,200,000

$0

NC State

41

Belk

$1,000,000

$1,000,000

$0

Louisville

50

Belk

$1,000,000

$1,000,000

$0

Toledo

51

Military

$1,000,000

$1,000,000

$0

Purdue

56

Little Caesars Pizza

$750,000

$750,000

$0

Utah St

59

Famous Idaho Potato

$750,000

$750,000

$0

Nevada

60

Hawaiʻi

$750,000

$750,000

$0

W Michigan

65

Little Caesars Pizza

$750,000

$750,000

$0

Temple

66

New Mexico

$750,000

$750,000

$0

Michigan St

17

Outback

$3,400,000

$3,350,000

$50,000

Illinois

64

Kraft Fight Hunger

$800,000

$750,000

$50,000

Iowa St

28

Pinstripe

$2,000,000

$1,900,000

$100,000

N Carolina

52

Independence

$1,100,000

$1,000,000

$100,000

Vanderbilt

38

Liberty

$1,350,000

$1,200,000

$150,000

Arizona St

54

Maaco Las Vegas

$1,000,000

$800,000

$200,000

Pittsburgh

55

BBVA Compass

$1,000,000

$750,000

$250,000

Florida Intl

63

Beef 'O' Brady's

$1,000,000

$750,000

$250,000

Marshall

67

Beef 'O' Brady's

$1,000,000

$750,000

$250,000

Air Force

68

Military

$1,000,000

$750,000

$250,000

Cincinnati

48

Liberty

$1,350,000

$1,000,000

$350,000

Notre Dame

29

Champs Sports

$2,125,000

$1,700,000

$425,000

Florida St

32

Champs Sports

$2,125,000

$1,700,000

$425,000

Ohio

69

Famous Idaho Potato

$750,000

$325,000

$425,000

SMU

70

BBVA Compass

$1,000,000

$325,000

$675,000

Northwestern

49

Meineke Car Care

$1,700,000

$1,000,000

$700,000

Utah

39

Sun

$1,900,000

$1,100,000

$800,000

GA Tech

44

Sun

$1,900,000

$1,000,000

$900,000

Wake Forest

61

Music City

$1,700,000

$750,000

$950,000

Washington

35

Alamo

$2,250,000

$1,200,000

$1,050,000

Rutgers

57

Pinstripe

$2,000,000

$750,000

$1,250,000

Auburn

25

Chick-fil-A

$3,350,000

$2,000,000

$1,350,000

Florida

42

Gator

$2,500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

Ohio St

47

Gator

$2,500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

Nebraska

20

Capital One

$4,250,000

$2,500,000

$1,750,000

Virginia

45

Chick-fil-A

$3,350,000

$1,000,000

$2,350,000

VA Tech

11

Sugar

$18,000,000

$6,750,000

$11,250,000

Michigan

13

Sugar

$18,000,000

$4,250,000

$13,750,000

Clemson

15

Orange

$18,000,000

$3,400,000

$14,600,000

W Virginia

23

Orange

$18,000,000

$2,125,000

$15,875,000

By the way, if you’re going to compete in a Bowl Pick’em or are planning on wagering on some of the games, make sure to check out our 2011-2012 college football bowl games section, complete with bowl predictions, bowl betting picks, and bowl pick’em advice and picks.

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